Primer pocket cleaner for use in reloading firearm cartridges



Feb. 25, 1969 o. N. OLSON 3,429,218

PRIMER POCKET CLEANER FOR USE IN RELOADING FIREARM CARTRIDGES Filed July 51, 1967 FIG .5

I NVENTOR.

BPLE N O4s0- AT TORNEYS United States Patent 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A bundle of elongated cylindrical wires fixedly attached together at one end and to one end of a hollow cylindrical handle which extends coaxially along the bundle of wires a substantial distance toward the opposite end thereof. Each of the wires is cut approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis thereof and the ends of all of the wires lie in approximately a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis thereof. The handle allows slight rotational movement of the wires about the longitudinal axis thereof while substantially preventing relative transverse movement. In operation, the apparatus is twisted within the primer pocket and the edges of the wires adjacent the free end thereof present a slight cutting edge which removes foreign matter from the surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention In the firearm cartridge reloading field, it is extremely important that the primer pocket is clean of all foreign material, such as burned powder and the like. In cleaning the primer pocket, it is essential that the radius of the opening, or the side wall of the pocket, is not marred or otherwise increased in size because a new primer will not fit snugly therein and the cartridge will have to be discarded.

Description of the prior art In the prior art, a reamer type cutting tool is utilized to scrape foreign material from the surface of the primer pocket. This is extremely unsatisfactory because many of the cartridges are damaged by scraping the side wall and increasing the radius of the opening or scraping too deep and unevenly in the pocket. Once a cartridge is damaged in this nature it must be discarded and, because of the skill required in using the cutting too], many of the cartridges are damaged.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention pertains to a new and improved apparatus for cleaning a depressed surface, such as the primer pocket in a firearm cartridge, and more specifically to a plurality of elongated cylindrical members fixedly attached together adjacent one end thereof in a side by side relationship about a central axis with the opposite ends thereof lying substantially in a plane perpendicular to the central axis and forming a plurality of cleaning edges as the device is rotated about the central axis in engagement with the surface to be cleaned.

It is an object of the present invention to provide new and improved apparatus for cleaning a depressed surface.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved primer pocket cleaner for use in reloading firearm cartridges.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a primer pocket cleaner which is simpler to produce and easier to use than existing cleaners.

3,429,218 Patented Feb. 25, 1969 These and other objects of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the accompanylng specification, claims, and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective of the present apparatus engaged in the primer pocket of a firearm cartridge;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged end view of the cleaning apparatus as seen from the left end of the apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view as seen from the line 33 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an axial sectional view, somewhat diminished in size, as seen from the line 44 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view as seen from the line 5-5 in FIGURE 1, parts thereof shown in elevation; and

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged sectional view as seen from the line 66 in FIGURE 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the figures, the numeral 10 designates a firearm cartridge having a primer pocket 11 with a side wall 12 and an inner surface 13. In reloading the firearm cartridge 10 a new primer must be placed in the primer pocket 11 so that it fits snugly against the side wall 12 and the inner surface 13. During firing there is a tendency for powder and the like to burn on to the inner surface 13 of the primer pocket 11 so that the primer cannot be set prop erly in the primer pocket 11. It is, therefore, essential that all of the foreign material is cleaned from the inner surface 13 without increasing the radius of the side wall 12.

The primer pocket cleaner, generally designated 15, includes a plurality of elongated cylindrical members 16, which may be relatively stiff wires or the like, positioned in generally parallel side by side relationship substantially uniformly about a central axis. In the present embodiment, the members 16 are all cut at approximately the same length and attached together adjacent one end, at 17, to maintain them in this position. The opposite end of each of the wires is cut, or otherwise severed, substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis thereof so that the free ends all lie substantially in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

The cleaner 15 further includes a hollow cylindrical handle 20 having a length somewhat shorter than the length of the members 16 and an inner radius slightly larger, or approximately equal to, the radial distance from the central axis to the outermost portion of the members 16. That is, when the members 16 are bunched substantially uniformly about a central axis, the handle 20 fits coaxially therearound. The ends of the members 16 which are fixedly connected together, are placed within the handle 20 and affixed adjacent one end thereof, by soldering, brazing, or the like, so that the members 16 andthe handle 20 are coextensive over substantially the entire length of the handle 20 and the members 16 extend outwardly from the opposite end thereof a substantial distance.

In the construction of the present embodiment, the handle 20 is formed with both ends open and the members 16 are placed therein so that one end of each of the members 16 is adjacent one end of the handle 20. The ends of the members 16 and the end of the handle 20 are then connected fixedly together by some means, such as soldering, brazing, etc., as at 17. The remainder of the members 16 extend the remaining length of the handle 20 and outwardly through the opposite end thereof. Each of the members 16 is formed from a material which is relatively hard compared to the cartridge and which has a slight amount of elasticity, such as for example high carbon steel or the like.

In the operation of the cleaner 15, the extended ends of the members 16 are inserted in the primer pocket 11 and the handle is twisted about the axis thereof. As the handle 20 rotates a torque is applied to the members 16 which causes them to twist slightly, as illustrated in FIG- URE 5, so that the free ends present a cutting edge at engaged with the inner surface 13. Rotation of the handle 20 causes the cutting edges at 25 to clean the inner surface 13 without scoring the side wall 12. When the cleaning operation is completed, the elasticity of the members 16 causes them to return to their original position.

Thus, a primer pocket cleaner for use in reloading firearm cartridges is disclosed which is relatively simple to construct and use, and which is extremely reliable because there is litttle or no chance of an edge harming the side wall 12 of the primer pocket 11.

While I have shown and described a specific embodiment of this invention, further modifications and improvements will occur to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A hand operable primer pocket cleaner for use in reloading firearm cartridges comprising:

(a) a plurality of elongated cylindrical wires positioned in generally parallel, side by side relationship substantially uniformly about a central axis with the greatest diametric dimension of the combined wires being smaller than the inner diameter of the primer pocket to be cleaned;

(b) means fixedly attaching all of said wires together adjacent one end with the remainder of each of said wires being free for limited rotation about said central axis;

(c) each of said wires being further characterized by having another end opposite said one end formed by severing said wires approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis thereof;

((1) said wires being formed from a material which is slightly elastic and relatively hard compared to said cartridge so that the surface of the primer pocket is scraped by said other ends of said wires and all wires return substantially to their original position after use;

(e) a hollow cylindrical handle fixedly attached to said wires approximately coaxial with said central axis adjacent said one end of said wires and extending parallel with and disconnected from said wires a substantial distance toward said other ends of said wires; and

(f) said handle being further characterized by having an inner radius approximately equal to the radial distance from said central axis to the outermost portion of said wires for allowing limited rotation of said wires about said central axis and preventing substantial flaring movement so that the plurality of wires retain approximately the same combined diametric dimension and substantially all of said wires present an :arcuate cutting edge to the surface of the primer pocket.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 541,537 6/1895 Hankey 1'5-200 783,937 2/1905 Edwards et al. l5l97 1,593,044 7/1926 Stubbs 15--198 2,977,618 4/1961 Brisbin 86-23 X 3,266,075 8/1966 Conrad 86-24 X 3,343,195 9/1967 Menges 15-200 X BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

GERALD H. GLANZMAN, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

